Chords + Lyrics | Ventura Highway
Intro
||: G | G | Dmaj7/F# | Dmaj7/F# :||
Verse 1
||: G | G | Dmaj7/F# | Dmaj7/F# :||
Chewing on a piece of grass walking down the road.
Tell me, how long you gonna stay here, Joe?
Some people say this town don’t look good in snow.
You don’t care, I know.
Bridge 1
| G6 | G6 | Dmaj9/F# | Dmaj9/F# |
Ventura Highway, in the sunshine.
| G6 | G6 | Dmaj9/F# | Dmaj9/F# |
Where the days are longer the nights are stronger than moonshine.
| G6 | G6 | Dmaj9/F# | Dmaj9/F# | F#m11 | F#m11 |
You’re gonna go, I know, ow-ow-ow…
Chorus 1
||: Em | F#m11 :||
‘Cause the free wind is blowing through your hair.
And the days surround your daylight there.
Seasons crying no despair.
| Em | F#m11 | F#m11 | G | G |
Alligator lizards in the air, in the air.
Chorus tag 1
| Dmaj7/F# | Dmaj7/F# | G | G | Dmaj7/F# | Dmaj7/F# |
Du du du…
Verse 2
Wishin’ on a falling star, watchin’ for the early train.
Sorry boy, but I’ve been hit by purple rain.
Aw, come on Joe, you can always change your name.
Thanks alot son, just the same.
Bridge 2
Ventura Highway, in the sunshine.
Where the days are longer the nights are stronger than moonshine.
You’re gonna go, I know, ow-ow-ow…
Chorus 2
‘Cause the free wind is blowin’ through your hair.
And the days surround your daylight there.
Seasons crying no despair.
Alligator lizards in the air, in the air.
Chorus tag 2
||: Dmaj7/F# | Dmaj7/F# | G | G :||
Du du du…
Ventura Highway Chords: Understanding the Progressions
Before diving into Ventura Highway, ensure your guitar is tuned slightly sharp to match the original recording. Set my tuner to 446 Hz for the correct pitch.
As with America’s other hit, A Horse With No Name, Ventura Highway features multiple layered guitars, making it quite tricky to play on just one acoustic guitar.
Intro
To get started, I suggest learning the signature intro lick first. If you plan to perform it live, a loop pedal can help recreate the layered effect.
You’ll need TAB to master the intro lick; here’s a link to the lesson: Ventura Highway – Guitar Lesson with TAB. Also, take a moment to compare it to David Gray’s Babylon—there’s a noticeable similarity that’s hard to ignore!
Verse + Bridge
Now, let’s break down the verse and bridge chords. They’re nearly identical, with the Roman numerals reading as IV – I/3. The bridge swaps the G for a G6, offering a slight variation from the verse.
Chorus
The chorus introduces a shift with chords II – III, where we encounter two minor chords a tone apart:
||: Em (II) | F#m11 (III) :||
You’ll need TAB for the right strumming technique to make these work with just one guitar. Once you’ve mastered that, return here for the chord chart as a handy reference.
Ventura Highway Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
Should you want to download this chart, here’s a PDF: Ventura Highway chord chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro, here’s a link to that file: Ventura Highway iReal Pro. Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key although I can’t give you any advice on how to make that work!
Ventura Highway TAB | Course Preview
There’s TAB for everything in the course, including how to play that iconic intro lick and make it work on one guitar.
As a preview, here’s the verse strumming.
America’s Timeless Signature Song
Ventura Highway is undeniably America‘s signature tune, so iconic they’ve even named their website after it (though America.com was likely already taken!). Released in 1972, it wasn’t an immediate worldwide sensation but has since grown in popularity, with its catchy melody still gracing the airwaves, even half a century later.
What’s fascinating is the song’s influence on other artists. Prince openly admitted that he named his iconic Purple Rain after a lyric in Ventura Highway’s second verse. Once you make the connection, it’s hard not to hear it again in songs like David Gray’s Babylon.
After spending a day transcribing the song, I find myself humming those unmistakable guitar lines over and over—they’re simply irresistible!
Ventura Highway Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Ventura Highway (America) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
